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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 20 May 1993

Vol. 431 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Liz McManus

Ceist:

7 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Defence the facilities, if any, there are within the Defence Forces for identifying and treating members who may be suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Where post traumatic stress disorder has been identified in members of the Permanent Defence Force it has usually occurred as a result of service overseas with UN missions. All personnel are, accordingly, required to undergo a comprehensive medical examination before being selected for overseas service, or indeed for certain duties at home, and a further medical examination is carried out on their return from such duties. The Medical Corps has an extensive network of trained medical personnel attached to all units and barracks. Barrack personnel support services officers are also available and individuals are encouraged to discuss problems of this nature with them.

Where an individual is felt to be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder he is examined by and placed under the care of a civilian consultant psychiatrist. If the service of other specialists are recommended, these are also arranged without delay. The psychiatrists determines the treatment that the individual requires and this is provided through the Medical Corps or, if considered necessary, in a civilian hospital.

Will the Minister outline the extent to which there is a psychiatric service within the Defence Forces and state how many personnel serve in that service? Further, will he state how many Defence Forces personnel are currently being treated for this disorder?

This subject matter was addressed at the PDFORRA conference in Killarney last night by the Chief of Staff when he gave a thorough resumé on what is being done in this area. A number of initiatives have been undertaken by the Director of the Army Medical Corps. An Army doctor has just completed a five year post-graduate study in psychiatry with particular emphasis on psychological factors which may be specific to Irish military personnel in coping with stress. I understand that this full time military psychiatrist will head the expanding psychiatric services available to our personnel. The service will also increase the expertise of both the Medical Corps and military commanders in anticipating, recognising, managing and treating post traumatic stress. With the Deputy's permission, the best way to respond to the second part of his question is to say that during the past 11 years fewer than ten members of the Permanent Defence Force have been repatriated from overseas for reasons of a psychiatric character. To put the matter in context, there have been over 15,000 tours of duty in the Lebanon by Permanent Defence Force personnel during the same period.

The Army representative who spoke at the PDFORRA conference last night indicated that this was a relatively new phenonemon and not very precise. I suggest to the Minister that some cases of this disorder were not identified. Can he tell me if the decision to expand psychiatric services within the Defence Forces is a recent one?

The decision to expand the psychiatric services was made in the recent past following consultation with myself and others. The only point the Chief of Staff made at the PDFORRA conference last night was that the medical information on post traumatic stress disorder is rather tentative at present. It was no more sinister than that. We are anxious to keep a close eye——

I was not implying anything.

I was not suggesting that the Deputy was. All I am saying is that the information available on post traumatic stress disorder is tentative.

I welcome the development in this area. I hope however that the Government's proposals to extend the role of the Defence Forces in regard to United Nations activities to cover peace enforcement will not lead to a need to give more attention to this area, given that many members of our Defence Forces will find themselves in difficult and traumatic circumstances in the future.

I am sure that this unit will keep a close eye on the matter. In the context of the so-called new departure in regard to the UNISOM II mandate in Somalia, while one can never be certain, I would like to think that the transport unit which is to go to Somalia, where it will be housed in what remains of the university hospital complex in Mogadishu, will not be in any immediate danger; but I say this with great trepidation. They could then apply elsewhere the experience gained in Somalia if and when a request is received from the United Nations.

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